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This is a great new post by writer Jon Gordon that I really wanted to share. Whether coaching Mites or Pros, this philosophy remains true for all.
Hope you enjoy!

Love, Serve, Care

By Jon Gordon

When I’m asked what someone can do to be a leader I tell them to love, serve and care and positively influence the people around them.

A great example of this is Ken Crenshaw, the head athletic trainer for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Most people outside the building wouldn’t know who he is but if you asked the team who’s one of the most influential people in the building they would say Ken Crenshaw. He helps players recover from injuries, listens to their personal and professional challenges, shares advice and frequently hands out inspirational books (some of mine) to encourage his players. He’s part trainer, part psychologist, part librarian and 100% leader.

I saw his influence first hand while visiting him at the Diamondbacks spring training facility the other day. As he showed me around, I met player after player who had read The Carpenter or Training Camp because Ken gave them a copy and encouraged them to read it. They didn’t know me from Adam. But they knew Ken and trusted him because he loves, serves and cares.

I wasn’t supposed to speak to the team but that happened too because Ken recommended it to the new manager, and even though he had never heard of me, he trusted Ken’s suggestion.

Regardless of your profession or level within an organization I want you to know that you don’t need a title to be a leader. You don’t need a job description, fancy suit or a corner office. You simply need to love, serve and care to influence the people around you and your influence will grow.

Many people say to focus on growing your business and career. But I say to focus on loving, serving and caring and your business and career will grow exponentially. Focus on loving, serving and caring one person at a time and people will be drawn to you and your business, service, school, class, project, hospital, etc.

Do this day in and day out, one person at a time and the impact you have and the legacy you leave will be amazing. You won’t just experience success for yourself. You will be a true success by helping others be successful.

We believe we’ll be happier and more successful anywhere but where we are.

And so we pursue happiness.

And chase success.

Thinking one day we will magically find them. But rarely will we find find happiness and success by seeking them.

I’ve learned if you want success you can’t chase it.

Instead you must decide to make a difference where you are… and success will find you.

I’ve learned if you want to find happiness don’t seek it.

Instead decide to work with passion and purpose… and happiness will find you.

Happiness is a byproduct of feeling fulfilled.

The key to experiencing real success and true happiness is to be The Seed and plant yourself.
When you plant yourself where you are with a passionate desire to make a difference you’ll grow into the influencer you were born to be.

When you serve in small ways you get more opportunity to serve in bigger ways.

Too many people want instant success and gratification right now! Too many athletes want to be traded because think they’ll be more successful on another team. Too many employees complain that their co-workers aren’t working hard enough and this affects their own performance. Too many sales people compare themselves to others and become frustrated and disengaged. Too many people worry about what everyone else is doing instead of focusing on what they are doing. Too many people run from challenges instead of developing stronger roots.

If you are like me, you’ve been one of these people. Most of us have at one time or another. It’s human nature after all.

That’s why I want to encourage you to remember that your job is not to worry about things you can’t control.

Your job is not to run away from where you are in the hope of finding greener pastures.

Your job is to plant yourself each day and be the best you can be and bring out the best in others.

Your job is to grow yourself and grow others.

When you do this and allow yourself to be used for a greater purpose, a greater purpose will move through you and bring greater opportunities, greater success and greater joy and happiness to you.

The greenest pasture is not somewhere else. It’s the place where you plant yourself and grow into the leader you were born to be. When you do, you’ll produce an abundant harvest filled with real success and true happiness.

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Some of the young hockey players I have worked with have gotten a kick out of me telling them that they are the President and CEO of their own company. I have tried to illustrate to them in a fun way that they really are running their own business. They are managing themselves, developing a player (product) and building a brand as they work towards their goals. Some understand that concept right away and it takes others some time to realize that.

Recently I read a book by Richard Branson, one of the world’s most renowned CEOs and entrepreneurs. He is one of the most successful businessmen in the UK and an icon of entrepreneurship. His latest project is Virgin Galactic, which he hopes will one day become a space tourism company. Clearly he is not afraid to dream big and pursue those dreams. Much like many young hockey players…..
At the end of his book, he lists his top ten tips for success.
I thought a lot of the list relates well to young Hockey Player CEOs so I wanted to share it.

Here are his Top Ten Tips for success:

Follow your dreams and just do it

Follow your dreams, get involved in life, in the things that interest you. If you are going to create a business, make sure it is your hobby, your passion or something that you really enjoy.

You will live a much better life that way. Don’t just set out to do something for the sake of making money.

I think lots of people have lots of great ideas, but very few people actually go out and try to put them into practice.

There are lots of people who think that somebody must have done that before, or you’ll never raise the money or you shouldn’t take a risk in life.

It’s the people who say I’m just going to do it, that end up having a chance of having a much more exciting and rewarding life.

Make a positive difference and do some good

The first thing to do if you want to become an entrepreneur is basically to have an idea that is going to make a positive difference to other people’s lives. A business is simply that.

If you’re running a business you are in a position where you can make a hell of a difference in this world.

I also think it’s great for the staff of a company that they can feel good about a company that is actually getting out there and doing good.

Believe in your ideas and be the best

You definitely need to believe in your idea. There’s really no point in doing something in life unless people feel really good about it and proud about it. You’ve got to have passion for it and you’ve got to be able to inspire other people to have a passion for it too.

If an idea is a good idea you should be able to pitch it in two or three sentences and two or three sentences fit very neatly on the back of an envelope.

There was no point creating a new airline unless it was going to be palpably better than every other airline in the world, you’ve got to make sure that every aspect of what you do is better than the competition.

Have fun and look after your team

I 100% believe that it’s important to have fun and if you’re not having fun anymore, it might be time to move on. You should have fun from the top down and create the kind of environment that’s pleasant to work in.

Make sure that you’ve got the kinds of people running your companies who genuinely care about people, who look for the best in people and who praise and don’t criticize.

People are not that unlike flowers. If a flower is watered it flourishes and if a flower is not watered it dries up and dies and I think the same applies to people.

Don’t give up

It’s extremely important not to give up. There have been situations in my adventures, like crossing the pacific in a balloon, where the odds were stacked very heavily against us surviving.

Being an entrepreneur is not that dissimilar to being an adventurer. You have plenty of situations where your back is right up against a wall and you’ve just got to work day and night to make sure you overcome the difficulties a particular company finds itself in. Brush yourself down the next day and move on into something else.

I think I’m reasonably good at dealing with failure and not letting it get me down for more than an hour or two as long as I put everything I can into avoiding it.

Make lots of lists and keep setting yourself new challenges

I make copious lists because I think it’s the little details that make for an exceptional company over an average company. Details are very important and I think it’s important to keep setting yourself new challenges and targets.

I do believe that the first of the year is a good time to write down your goals for the year. Unless you actually organize yourself and write down the kinds of things you want to achieve, there’s a danger that as time slips by, you don’t achieve a lot.

Spend time with your family and learn to delegate

One of the early things you have to do as an entrepreneur is learn the art of delegation. Find people who are better than you to run the companies on a day-to-day basis, freeing yourself up to think about the bigger picture and spend time with your family.

That’s very important, especially if you’ve got children, they are what’s going to be left when you’re gone.

I know I’m a good entrepreneur, but I’m not sure that I’d be a very good manager and there is a difference. My mind is always thinking ahead and wanting to create new things.

I just think once I’ve set something up, it’s better if someone else runs it. I can dive in and out and be a pain occasionally, but the day-to-day business is better for somebody else to do.

Try turning off the TV and get out there and do things

My mum brought us up very much to get out there and do things, don’t watch other people do things, and don’t watch television. I think that was a good way of bringing up kids. With my own kids, we’ve spent quite a lot of time in the Caribbean and we never watch television there.

I think I am capable of switching off on Necker Island which is where we sort of pull up the drawbridge. But what I’m doing I see as so fascinating, so rewarding, so interesting that I don’t ever really want to switch off too much because I find myself in such a wonderful, challenging position that I don’t want to waste that position and there are just so many important challenges going on.

When people say bad things about you, just prove them wrong

There are people who hang onto the coat tails of successful people and try to sell a few books on the back of their name. It’s unpleasant but you know that if you sue them or kick up a fuss, all it will do is publicize the book. So I’ve had to learn the art of ignoring people like that.

I think the best thing to do is just to prove them wrong in every single way. This particular book, (Branson: Behind the Mask by Tom Bower), says that our spaceship program is a white elephant, later this year we will prove them wrong.

Do what you love and have a sofa in the kitchen

You only live one life, so I would do the thing that you are going to enjoy. When life boils down, this might sound like a little much coming from me, I do have my own little island in the Caribbean, but when we are on that island, we tend to just live in the kitchen.

The truth is, so long as you’ve got a kitchen which has space for a sofa, and a bedroom, and a partner that you love, you don’t necessarily need the add-ons in life.

Then, if you’re doing something that really interests you, it will result in a much more enjoyable life rather than just doing something for the sake of making money.

Branson stands in front of a large photo of his SpaceShipTwo – the commercial spaceship undergoing tests in California’s Mojave Desert

Good luck and make your company a great one!

If you are looking for a fun book to read for a bus ride or road trip, here you go. Thanks to CEO Branson!

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I have always had an intense interest in mountains and mountain climbing. I’m really not sure why but they have always fascinated me. Maybe it was traveling through the Rocky Mountains a few times with my family as a very young boy and being overwhelmed by the beauty and power. Something just always stuck with me from that experience. I guess that is why I included ‘Summit’ in the title of this blog.
The young players I have coached will attest that Coach Huff is always reliable for a whacky or strange mountain climber story or analogy. (see last paragraph in “For All The Coaches” https://thehockeysummitblog.com/2014/08/16/for-all-the-coaches-2/ )
Here’s one that I hope you enjoy as much as I do and share with your players as well.

Quitters, Campers, and Climbers

Quitters.
Dr. Paul Stoltz described three types of people. All of them begin in the valley, staring at the mountain of life: quitters, campers, and climbers. Even though all human beings are born with the urge to climb, and there are billions of people in the world, the mountaintop remains practically empty. What happens to all of life’s mountain climbers? Most end up compromising what they truly want for what is immediately available because they are unwilling to endure the painful climb, so they become “given-ups” instead of grownups. Life’s quitters see the mountain’s jagged cliffs, threatening storms, and endless paths as dangerous, deciding to pass on the climb entirely, avoiding the process rather than risking failure. By denying their God-given urge to climb, they make compromises in their lives. Quitters are typically people who entertain themselves to death, escaping into noncontributing time-consuming activities. They keep themselves busy doing mindless activities in order to avoid the mountain; they are doing everything not to climb. They suffer the worst pain of all— the pain of regret— for a life spent in service to self, not to others. The worst quitters, those having no more conscience, solicit others to join their lamentable condition.

Campers, on the other hand, start climbing the mountain. They are excited about the opportunities on the mountainside, beginning life’s climb enthusiastically. However, at some point, through a combination of successes already achieved and the pain associated with further climbing, they cease the process, compromising their ideals and selling out their courage for the comfort of camp. They may achieve a nice mountain view, but their best days are behind them, surrendering their future for doing “pretty good.” Although campers know the price of the climb, they are unwilling to pay it any longer. They may convince themselves that they are only resting for a season, but few will ever break camp. Some of the most talented people are content in camp, having achieved a good lifestyle, fooling themselves that this is more important than their purpose. Don’t misread this; everyone needs a vacation once in a while to refresh, but not a vacation for the rest of one’s life. Take a break when needed, but never compromise your calling for your comforts. Vacations end, but a person’s purpose only ends when his life ends.

Climbers are the last group. These are people who refuse to compromise their calling and convictions, deciding to press on with their journey, no matter how painful the climb is, as far as they can go. They know they were called to climb the mountain and are willing to do the work in order to accomplish it. Climbers are a rare breed— they never sacrifice their convictions for conveniences since they understand that life isn’t about obtaining the best spot in camp or gathering the most items in the tent. Life isn’t about possessions, but about purpose; it’s about the climb. Climbers have learned that one of the keys to a happy life is fulfilling one’s purpose, becoming who he is intended to be, not necessarily by reaching the top, but through the constant effort to improve. A true climber battles his mountain, and in the process, he conquers himself. His climb leaves a path for others to follow in pursuit of their purpose, teaching other climbers the lessons he has learned through life’s mountain climb. Each person must make his own decision while staring at life’s mountain. Will he quit, camp, or climb?

Let’s hope your team is filled with Climbers.
Have a great week!
Huff

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Most of you know that I write this blog to share hockey information and touch on a lot of different topics related to hockey.
I also use this platform as my own little therapy session and it helps me get things off my chest or out of my head at times.

This is one of those times.

It is an incredible time of year to focus on friends, family, and yes, your hockey family as well.

This year has been a particularly tough one for our family. We have watched one of our members suffer immensely with Alzheimer’s disease. As anyone who has been touched by this brutal affliction, the toll it takes on that person and everyone close to them is intense. I’ve watched my close family members suffer greatly and try to make sense of it all. (Please visit http://www.alz.org/ to learn more or donate to the fight of this horrible sickness.)

Once again through it all, as a lot of us do, I was lucky to find comfort by going to the rink. This is where the true value of sports and particularly Hockey is found.
Over many years I’ve seen the game be a healing platform for death, sickness, divorce, worry, despair, depression, addiction and all kinds of other heartaches people have encountered along the way. It continues on today.
Life comes at you very hard sometimes, but guess what? So does Hockey.
I have found myself traveling to the rink this year many times feeling down and a bit beaten up, only to share a laugh or smile with a young player who accomplishes something good or simply works hard and has fun. Inevitably one of our players shows some development that makes me remember that life is about hope and growth. Again, in a very short time the game revitalizes me.
One of my roles with our team is to sit with our players and help provide them guidance on deciding where to go to college and play hockey. It is an awesome experience and helps remind me what it is all about. It makes me feel good that this person has so much life ahead of them and their optimism glows through. It shows me hope is strong. It diminishes the struggles.
That is what hockey can do.

I just pray that no matter if these young players become college players, professional players, men’s league players, coaches, or future parents of a player….that they keep the game with them. I hope they have the game help them through the tough times like so many of us have.
It can be a sword and a shield for them in good times and bad.

I am proud to say our family has reacted like good hockey teams do. They have rallied and worked together and shown true toughness and resiliency. They have picked each other up when needed.
It is heartwarming to know that my wife and father-in-law, usually not able to leave and get to our games to watch live, make it a point to log in and watch most games online. I know that for a short period of time the game gives them some comfort and a break from the pain. That is what hockey can do.

When life comes at you hard…..drop the puck.

Never forget the game, and the game will never forget you.

Happy and safe holidays everyone!

Huff

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The Youth and Junior hockey seasons began over the last several weeks and I got the chance to see a few of the teams play that I help coach. I was reminded of a saying that I love that I read in a book on marathon training. This saying is also my son Caden’s all-time favorite and I use it with him a lot.

Question: “How do you eat an elephant?”

Answer: “One bite at a time.”

So I began thinking about this and how it pertains to the approaching hockey season. It is clear to me that this saying applies to both coaching AND playing. A bite is a way to ingest nutrients. Nutrients are essential for growth and change.

Over the years I have learned that the team you begin the season with is never the one you finish it with…ever.

The hockey season is really just a big elephant. Each week is just one bite of the season…one bite of learning…one bite of practicing…one bite of nourishment…one bite for the opportunity to grow. It is a long way from August to March. There are many bites to take and a thousand chances to grow and develop. It is important to enjoy each and every bite even if some bites taste better than others!

Now some advice. Don’t be too worried or excited about your team right now. You will have a chance for many more bites along the way whether you are a player or a coach. Actually you have a full meal and then some. If you take your bites properly, chew slowly and do things correctly you will have the chance at the most delicious dessert…one where your team and you have both grown and improved. Wholesome, nutritious bites are just weeks of great practices and preparation.

So how do you tackle a season that lasts eight months? The same way you eat an elephant…one bite at a time.

Just remember to make your bites count.

Good Luck All!

Huff

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At the end of last hockey season I posted a blog titled “What I Now Know For Sure.” https://thehockeysummitblog.com/2015/02/26/what-i-now-know-for-sure/
Some people gave me some nice feedback about it and it was fun to put together. Recently a couple of hockey fathers suggested that I should do a follow up piece as we are getting close to a new season getting underway.
So as the 2015-2016 season is upon us and we are all looking forward to the season, here are 20 more things that I now know for sure.

Remember……this game is supposed to be fun….enjoy!

Late August turns into late December very, very quickly.

The only real constant in this game is change.

I will keep my streak of 20 straight years of incorrectly picking the Stanley Cup winner…..

Backup Goalies will continue to forget to fill the water bottles…..guaranteed.

Some players are going to have amazing years…..

Some players are going to sit back in amazement and wonder what went wrong.

My feet will hurt.

Hockey players will stay with billet families for the first time……. and they will remain friends the rest of their lives.

Shattuck St. Mary’s will probably have good teams……

College programs will commit to players too soon….

College programs will miss out on good players because they feel like they are too old……..

I will still not find a good cup of coffee in any rink……

My wife will wonder why the hell I am going to a rink at 7am on a Sunday morning…..

An NHL coach will be fired by the end of November.

There will be amazing parents in the stands every game supporting and encouraging their children.

There will be complete jackass parents in the same stands disparaging refs, coaches and kids…….please encourage them to be more like #15s…..

Best friendships will develop……..some for life.

Somewhere on the road I will break down and order Poutine…….

Some parents will drive through weather this year that seasoned truck drivers wouldn’t……

By season’s end I will again know for certain that Hockey is still the greatest game in the world.

Best of luck everyone! Have a great season.
Huff

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This is always the time of year that brings questions from young players and families about what to do this summer when a hockey player wants to improve themselves. I have written about it many times in the past. The recruiting season for youth players has ended and now people start to think about all the spring and summer hockey events that they are approached to participate in.

One of the things about getting older and being in the advising business is that you start to have a realization of some strategies that have worked in a player’s quest to play hockey at a higher level and some that have not.I too have lived and learned….and mygoal with this blog is to share some information with families and players that they can use to help them to decide what will and will not be worthwhile this summer.

It is also one of my favorite times of the year as I am a huge golf fan and there is no better golf tournament than The Masters in Augusta, GA. That is why I will end this blog entry with a golf analogy.

But for now back to the question, “What should I do this summer?” Obviously everyone is in different situations and at many different skill levels, however there is one thing that I believe in with all my heart which is…there is no one magic pill. There is not one event or singular training strategy that will deliver you to the ‘promised land’.
The key is to work on multiple important areas throughout the entire off season. Some of which are not very exciting or ones you have probably ever thought about.

Here are a few of the following ideas and offerings that in my experience have worked and can work for you!

Adapt a Mindset of Daily Improvement

Start to think about improving daily. A little bit better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow. Just get better in some area every day of the summer. You have to decide to create a clear trajectory of growth and improvement and to stay on it each and every day. Think about it this way. There are approximately 140 days between now and September 1. 140 small improvements add up to a very much improved player.

But here is the key. There are so many ways to improve that a lot of players don’t realize and don’t focus on. Here are some examples:

You don’t have to live in the gym but the gym has to live within you.

Physical ImprovementObviously the one that everyone focuses the vast amount of their time on. Hockey is a game that demands physically elite athletes. Never before has the condition of hockey players been held to such a high standard. There are no shortcuts here. Get with someone who has had success training elite hockey players and has a track record. Your Dad or Coach’s advice does not cut it when it comes to this. You need an expert! If you think you are training hard enough just know that someone out there is training harder. Guaranteed.

Don’t Waste your Training TimeOne of the biggest mistakes made is wasting time and doing things that don’t add value to your training program. There are simply too many wasted weekends on meaningless ‘showcase’ events that no recruiters or scouts ever go to. I can’t remember the last time I have heard from a scout or recruiter after watching a weekend event in the spring or summer. It NEVER happens.

This is typically how the stands look like at these events……..

Think about it. In many cases players won’t train hard on Wednesday so they are fresh for a weekend event. They travel Thursday, play short meaningless games all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, travel home and then are tired on Monday and don’t train properly. Almost an entire week wasted…..Not good.

Intelligence One area that is overlooked concerning improvement relates to a players intellect. Most people do not realize how smart elite hockey players are. This is an area that can be worked and improved upon even when you are tired. There is no excuse for not reading material that can improve your performance. Below is a suggested reading list. I would start with this must read by former Duke Basketball Star Jay Bilas-

Talk to a MentorFind someone other than your parents or coaches that you can discuss the game with. There are many former players you can find who have played at high levels that you can approach who would love to talk to you about the ride….trust me on this one. Former players that have gone through the good and the bad can give you a unique perspective and help you stay grounded.

In Greece, a ‘Mentor’ is a ‘wise and trusted adviser’.

Don’t be Delusional Here is one of the things I am going to tell you NOT to do….and it is important. I always think of the TV show American Idol and some of the contestants who think they are so much more gifted than they really are. You have flaws in your game. Talk to someone who will tell you honestly what you need to focus on improving. Have an open mind. Take the criticism and use it to motivate you.

You probably just finished tryouts and have been recruited heavily. Coaches have probably told you how great you are and how wonderful your season is going to be. I am here to tell you to forget it all. Don’t listen to it! You are not that good and you are really not that good if you don’t work your ass off this summer. Be humble and be hungry or your results will suck next season.

Be Curious/StudyDevelop a mindset of curiosity. If you really want to improve, you can do it by being curious. All great players are like this. They have to learn. They study. They watch video. They read articles on all sorts of things that relate to their sport. You can do this every day for as long as you want. Go to YouTube. Watch the highlights of your favorite player. Study them….it’s free! Watch the NHL Playoffs. Look at how focused and committed those players are in every area of the ice. Research players and learn about them.

If you are trying to be recruited to college, learn everything you can about those schools you are targeting. Study the coaches. Learn about them. Know their histories…..their backgrounds. Be ready to impress them when and if you ever meet with them. Research nutrition and healthy eating habits and incorporate them into your life. Find out what the elite players eat and how they manage their bodies. The internet is a wonderful resource that young players have. Work hard at finding answers.

Avoid MediocrityDo not become complacent over the summer. This is the real challenge. You may think you are doing enough and training hard enough but like I said earlier,…you probably are not. Just because you have a physical training program does not make improvement automatic. Push yourself to do the less glamorous things I have discussed here. Yes, some of them may seem boring and you may find it difficult, but guess what?….it’s supposed to be hard…..

So now for my golf analogy and how it relates to your summer training…

There is a story about a man who longed to be able to golf and play at a level just like his buddies, one buddy in particular. He knew this friend was a good golfer so he set his sights on one day standing up on the first tee and driving a golf ball past his. He wanted to be able to beat him.

He began to take lessons. He spent hours on end at the driving range. Day after day……driving ball after ball….He knew he could one day do it. He improved his driving to the point where he could hit a ball over 300 yards….

But what he didn’t see was the countless hours his friend, the good golfer, spent at the putting green working on his putting and chipping. The boring, monotonous, tedious work. Everyone loves to hit long drives, but few people like to hone their short game skills.

So the big day came and the wanna-be golfer challenged his friend to a match. He showed off his new skill and consistently out drove his buddy on every hole!!…….and lost by 15 strokes…..

What the new golfer failed to realize is that 70% of all golf shots occur inside of 100 yards to the hole.

He did not practice properly. He didn’t practice intelligently……
The game is not about driving…..it’s about scoring.

So this summer, do the little things that make a difference………and keep your eye on the ball.

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A while ago I read a book titled, “What I Know For Sure” by Oprah Winfrey. I know….a Hockey Blog referencing Oprah, kind of strange…. I will just say it was my wife’s fault…
Anyway, I’m glad I read it. The book was very interesting and relates to a lot of things in life and makes you think about what you are really sure of. It made me start to think about this past season and my experience coaching the Wilkes Barre/Scranton U16 AAA hockey team. As we are in the last few weekends of the season I have started to reflect back on things and am trying to make sense of a whirlwind season. A hockey season has a great way of teaching you a lot about yourself, your teammates and the people involved in the game.

I love coaching my guys and this age group. It has been an incredibly rewarding year. I am so grateful for the experience.

I’m not really sure how much I learned this season but here are 20 things that I think I now know for sure. (hope you enjoy. This is still just a game remember……)

1. The goalie who is not playing will always, always, always have to be reminded to get the water bottles and warm up pucks. It never fails……

2. Team Managers should always be nominated for team MVP award. Ours should be called the Matty Award. 🙂

3. Practice is the best place in the world to take refuge from teenage problems…..

4. It is virtually impossible to get a good cup of coffee at an ice rink.

5. Your team is never as good or never as bad as you think it is.

6. Team bus trips are still the best…..

7. The hardest working and most dedicated players on your team are probably the ones getting recruited or moving on to higher levels.

8. The only thing you win in October is the respect of your players.

9. There are a lot of good people like referees, scorekeepers, league officials who dedicate a lot of time and effort and get crapped on unnecessarily.

10. Internet hockey ranking sites are ridiculous and distracting.

11. Everyone still wants to play on the power play……..even the parents.

12. Team meals are still the best……

13. Players respond a whole lot better to mentoring and teaching than to punishment and negativity.

14. Never eat seafood on the road that has traveled further than you…..

15. Good practices take care of wins……John Wooden was right.

16. If you treat your players like babies, they will act like babies. If you treat them like young men, they will respond like young men.

17. Music has changed….players listening to it loudly has not….

18. Hockey parents are the greatest, most dedicated, loving, supportive, sacrificing, crazy, whacky, bizarre group of people on the planet.

19. Coaching showcase and tournament weekends might be more tiring than actually playing…..

20. Hockey is still the greatest game on earth.

Best of luck to everyone as the season winds down!

Huff

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All year we ‘hockey people’ are locked in on chasing our goals and dreams whatever they may be. Then this special time of year comes around and our perspective changes somewhat. Or at least I hope it does.
It really did for me this year.

People involved in this game at any level are all very competitive and focused on trying to be successful. We all have goals and things we are striving to achieve. That is what is great about the sport. It becomes woven into the fabric of our lives. It is filled with all sorts of interesting people and we spend a lot of time with teammates, coaches and colleagues throughout the year.
But this time of year is and should always be first and foremost about family and loved ones. Regardless of your faith…..

I recently was reminded of that and hopefully this last post of 2014 will help you remember that as well.

There are always big holiday tournaments and of course one of the most popular events of the year happens now with the World Junior Tournament getting started. The game marches on….regardless of the season. It always will.

That being said, I do hope you get to take a short break from the game during this special time of year. It can be so healthy.
Good hockey players are said to play with their heads up. So this holiday season take some time to look up and around you, and focus on people who are along with you in your journey, even when the buzzer sounds. Brothers, sisters, moms, dads, grandfathers, grandmothers, sons, daughters…….friends. I hope you get to take some time to enjoy and cherish their company.
I know I am going to.
It is the season of giving and gifts.

Every one of us is very fortunate to be involved in this game. But some of the real gifts in life are not always hockey related.
But they are related……
Enjoy this special time of year with your family and loved ones.